FILM
VICTORIA MATHER
ÉCU Film Festival, PARIS
‘Stanley Pickle’
United Kingdom
2011
Stanley's life runs like clockwork...until an encounter with a mysterious girl turns his world upside down.
Hi Vicky how did you get into filmmaking has this always been a passion?
I got my first job on a feature film at Ealing Studios, I was the art department assistant. I spent about two months in pre-production until funding was cut the day before we started shooting. Following advice from the art department, I went on to study fine art and I found myself experimenting with animation techniques.
I think I naturally gravitated towards filmmaking, it’s now one of the hardest industries to survive in financially, but creatively for me, it feels like the most modern form of self-expression.
Tell us about your films, what is your approach, how do you come up with your projects?
I start with illustrations and photographs. I am never without a camera, it’s my first port of call. Ideas take form over periods of time and I note them down. I love it when I get ideas from dreams, they are always the weirdest and strange.
Stanley Pickle is part of the ÉCU Film Festival in Paris, are you excited about this?
I am very excited about ÉCU because it’s in PARIS! The most romantic city in the world! I wish I could be there.
"Stanley Pickle’s success has opened doors for me and for the crew."
Stanley Pickle has picked up a flurry of awards, does it still nerve you being nominated and attending the ceremonies?
Even though we’ve won a number of festivals, it is still incredibly nerve-wracking to get up on stage to accept, you never expect to win, I hear my heart pounding every time.
Stanley Pickle’s success has opened doors for me and for the crew, and it’s been a truly humbling experience to get so much positive recognition at such an early stage in our careers.
What have been the challenges you have faced?
There have been many challenges- off the top of my head: making the risky decision to shoot the film all stop motion using live actors was challenging since so much could potentially go wrong, but that is what I enjoy about filmmaking, it’s largely about problem-solving, taking risks, embracing challenges and finding ways to solve them as a team.
How did Stanley Pickle come to life?
With a stills camera, two sets, two locations, and an ambitious crew. The concept and lose narrative was conceived a year before I got in to film school, and the final story I developed with Screenwriter Orhan Boztas.
Things are going so well for you, are you feeling the pressure?
Of course, I am but it’s all great incentive to work harder!
With the cuts to the UK Art Council and the closing of the UK Film Council do you think future filmmakers will find it hard to get funding and support for UK Films? What has their help meant to you?
With the state funding in the UK right now, I believe film school was the best decision I ever made. I don’t know what is going to happen for future short film-makers but there will be solutions, just different ways of doing things. It’ll be a long road but my glass is half full, it might turn out for the better you never know.
"Get on that stage and take off all of your clothes."
What do you want people to take away from your film?
I hope that people enjoy the film, laugh, and at least feel hopeful for Stanley by the end (then go home and ‘like’ our facebook page).
"I believe film school was the best decision I ever made."
What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
Get on that stage and take off all of your clothes.
Finally, what are you working on now?
There is another film in the pipeline, working on some other ideas and I pitching for an array of other projects - busy busy busy!